This invention is directed toward a weight transfer apparatus for providing a means of loading and unloading test weights from a standard truck onto a scale testing vehicle or the ground. Specifically the weight transfer apparatus will telescope from the rearward end of the truck when operating and retract inside the truck when not in operation.
Other cargo transfer mechanisms for trucks which are known to the inventor consist of two types. One device is a swing styled crane mounted on a post located in the center of the truck bed. This crane is commonly used with trucks that carry loads of brick and other construction materials. One disadvantage of this device is the center post which eliminates space for storage and obstructs the flow of materials on the truck bed. A second disadvantage relates to the necessary lack of sidewalls in the cargo compartment to allow the crane to swing around the perimeter of the truck bed. Other models of the swing crane version have the center post located at the front or the rear of the cargo bed, however, the abovementioned disadvantages remain.
The other cargo transfer device of which the inventor has knowledge relates to a hoist which rides upon rails fixed to the sidewalls of the rear cargo compartment. A pair of extension swing booms are pivotally fixed to the rearward end of the rear cargo compartment in such a manner that they can be swung to extend the rail lengths to the exterior of the truck. The extended rail lengths then allow the hoist to move to the exterior of the rearward portion of the rear cargo compartment. A major disadvantage with this device relates to the swing booms and their fixation to the rear of the truck. The swing booms, when not in operation, must be folded across the rear of the truck or, if the rear of the cargo compartment has doors, must be folded to a position within the cargo compartment. This eliminates potential cargo space.
The present invention eliminates the disadvantages mentioned above. The supporting frame fits adjacent the sidewalls of the rear cargo compartment. All moving parts of the invention are adjacent the ceiling of the rear cargo compartment, thereby providing access to the entire bed and storage area within the cargo compartment. The telescoping carriage mechanism is an integral partner with the hoist.